We can’t believe it either, but another year has come and just about gone. That means it’s almost time to break out the champagne and your most festive NYE attire. It also means it’s time to get serious about your well-being. The New Year 2021 is a blank canvas, and we’re here to help you turn it into your healthiest year yet. Read on for Well-Being: How to Prioritize YOU in the New Year!
Well-Being is an Inside Job
In a society that (over) values appearances, it’s easy to forget about the mental aspects of your well-being. True health means taking care of your brain and body, so the New Year is a great time to shift your focus towards your mental health.
There are plenty of ways to accomplish this, but the most important step is giving yourself permission to set aside time that’s 100% for YOU—easier said than done in today’s productivity-obsessed culture.
Try incorporating some of the following ideas into your routine:
- Guided meditation
- Journaling
- Working with a mental health professional (many are now offering virtual services)
- Yoga
- Daily walks
Don’t Forget about Your Teeth
You know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but what about the dentist? Unless you just love getting root canals (we’re guessing you don’t), you probably want to minimize the time you spend in the dentist’s chair this year.
Do not forget to take care of your teeth
Not only will taking care of your teeth save you from having to go through unpleasant dental procedures, but caring for your teeth and gums has also been shown to boost your overall health. You already know you need to brush and floss, but take a look at how you can take your dental hygiene a step further:
-
Schedule Regular Cleanings – Having your teeth professionally cleaned twice a year is by far the best way to catch and prevent serious dental issues. Paying for a cleaning every six months is considerably less expensive than paying for a crown or filling, and you can even sign up for a program like 1Dental Savings Plans to bring your costs down even more.
-
Invest in an Electric Toothbrush – Sure, a manual toothbrush from the drugstore will get the job done. But an electric toothbrush will get the job done right. A good electric toothbrush will remove more plaque, get to those tough-to-reach areas, and even time your brushing to ensure you’re spending long enough on your pearly whites.
Ditch the Extreme Diets
Brace yourself: You’re about to be bombarded with advertisements for the latest fad diets. While we do encourage you to focus on eating healthy in the New Year, we don’t encourage you to jump on the latest diet bandwagon. Why? Because diets don’t always work. In fact, diet companies actually make money when you fail. This fact can be a tough pill to swallow, but the sooner you realize you don’t need to go on a juice cleanse to be healthy or completely cut (delicious) carbs to lose weight, the better.
At the end of the day, eating a balanced diet full of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins is a sustainable way to eat for the rest of your life. A juice cleanse is good once or twice a month, not as a daily habit.
